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Which is more difficult to hunt? Turkey or Deer?

I'm sure this has been discussed at one point or another, but I'm curious what you guys think. My buddy and I recently debated which is more difficult to hunt, turkeys or deer. My vote was for deer, for a variety of reasons, but # 1 is because the scent component can stop things before they even begin.

What do you guys think? Turkey or Whitetail?

Mark Kenyon
Founder of WiredToHunt.com
Host of The Wired To Hunt Podcast

Mature animals are a different story but I do believe the "average" deer is a lot easier to kill than the "average" turkey. Turkeys seem to be cronic paranoids in my area and don't have the curiousity that average deer do.

An "archer" tries to see how far away he can get from his target and still connect. A "BOWHUNTER" tries to see how CLOSE he can get to his.

Depends on a lot of factors. Bowhunting turkeys in a blind is relatively easy, not so much without one. Deer aren't easy to hunt in most any case so I guess by and large, I'd go with deer as the more difficult animal to hunt.

its hard to compare them unless you look at it like this. lets say a 4 year old tom vs a 4 year old buck. which is harder? my vote goes to the deer for a few reasons. turkey you can get away at times with noise and a little slop and still get him. with deer you have the wind factor and any out of the ordinary noise and he is gone. on top of that deer move all night long so you dont know where he is in the morning unlike turkeys which you can roost and be right under them come daylight the next morning. now lets talk a jake turkey and a spike deer. still the same thing but most spikes wont run at the first hint of a human. jake turkeys will come into just about any calling and are not very wary at all. i still say its harder to kill a spike but not much harder. on top of that you can listen for the birds to gobble and give away their location....deer dont make a peep. turkey hunting to me is more exciting due to the calling factor but if you ask would i rather shoot a 10 inch beard or a 150 class blacktail and i'd prob say the 150 blacktail everytime

Turkeys are easier. They can be easier to find because they are out during the daylight, they gobble, and most times you can roost them. You can call them to you (sometimes). Deer will come in to grunts or rattling but that is lower percentage than calling in a turkey. Most of time if a turkey starts coming in you will get a shot, but a deer it seems more time than not you still don't. You have a good chance of killing a turkey all day long. Many times deer won't move at all during daylight. With turkeys smell is not a issue. I also think a deer is smarter than a turkey, but a turkey a lot of times it seems are scared of their own shadow. However deer can be the same way. If you gave me two days in the spring for turkeys or fall for deer and I had to bet the farm on killing one of the two I would pick a turkey every time.

Guess if you are in a area that has of deer and very few turkeys a deer would be easier. But it could be said the other way around.

Turkey for me only because I spent the past 4 days surrounded by them and all I have to show is a missing arrow, a chewed up broad head and some breast feathers haha... Don't know what it is but I have had a terrible time putting one of them little suckers on the ground!! Finicky little buggers! Can't say I haven't had the opportunities so I guess if I could shoot the broad side of a barn out of a blind, Turkey would be easier.

I dont know which one is "harder", but personally, i feel as though ive accomplished a lot more when i shoot a turkey rather than a deer. For some reason i feel more rewarded, like i had to earn it much more.

I agree, especially when you only have a couple weeks to hunt turkeys versus several months for deer. A mature tom can be extremely frustrating to hunt, especially when they come in silent and sneak up behind you.

very close but...

i would say that they are both challenging in their own way. i have shot my first deer already but that took 3 1/2 seasons of work. i have had more opportunities with turkey but i have blown them in some way and i have not gone after turkey as much as deer(this is my first spring turkey season). i think turkey are easier to call in and the fact that they lack the incredible smelling power of a deer doesn't hurt. A turkey's eyesight is incredible though and it can be hard to move for a shot especially when you have to draw a bow. I would say for me deer is harder especially only having a small 15 acre plot of land to hunt but turkey are right up there too. both are incredibly challenging and i would be just as happy to shoot a turkey as i would a deer.